Bolt
by GhostDoor
Summary: First Installment of 'The Stark Line'. Tyler Lillian Wilson, an old work acquaintance to Ben and Reed, is asked to join their experiment in space. Maybe, she'll bring a missing piece into the crew once the cloud's effects take place. Maybe, she'll finally find a family that feels like home. And Johnny? Perhaps he'll see there's more to life then fame and women. Johnny/OC
1. Chapter 1

**Alright, this is the first chapter of the first story of many stories that will all come together to make my 'The Stark Line' series. I know, that was a confusing mouthful. Anyways, these stories are going to be based around the Marvel-Verse obviously, so if you're interested, keep an eye out for the others. They will all come together in certain ways, but if you don't read the others, that's okay. Any outside appearing characters from the other stories will be baseline explained, so their presence won't be abrupt and unnecessary.**

**Of course, I don't own Fantastic Four or any Marvel productions. Just Tyler (Lily) and any other Original Characters.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 1**

_**"Beginnings are sudden, but also insidious. They creep up on you sideways, they keep to the shadows, they lurk unrecognized. Then, later, they spring." **_**-Margaret Astwood, '_The Blind Assassin'_**

Ben Grimm and Reed Richards stood side by side, staring up in distaste at the currently being raised golden statue. Ben scoffed slightly, "Typical of Victor Von Doom to build a 30-foot statue of himself." The irritation was thick in his voice as Reed gave a pained expression.

"The statue is obviously aimed at the first-time visitors. It makes the population think they're smaller than Victor himself, creating a condemned atmosphere of nervousness and pity towards yourself-" Ben narrowed his eyes slightly, scrutinizing his friend. "For when you eventually screw up." Reed's eyes stayed fixed on the statue until Ben gave him a quick clap on the back. "Good thing it ain't working, huh?" Red smiled weakly back to his friend, shaking his head quietly.

"Seriously Reed, what are we doing here?" They began walking towards the entrance as Ben gestured towards the building. "This guy's fast-food, strip-mall science." Reed merely sighed, trying to dispel the anxiety driven headache already pounding away behind his eyes. "This isn't our first stop, in case you forgot. Besides," He sighed, staring up at the building in slight despair. "Victor's not that bad, just a little larger than life."

* * *

Reed inhaled quickly, trying to settle the nervous roiling of his stomach as he continued his proposal. "My research suggests that exposure to a high-energy cosmic storm borne on solar winds might have triggered the evolution of early planetary life." The 3-D simulation portrayed a small red cloud smacking into the digital earth, it was the only light in the large office. "In six weeks," the simulation continued, showing the earth continuing to thrive after the wave's strike. "Another cloud with the same elemental profile-" The simulation brought another red cloud around the Earth, but it merely passed by the planet continuing on its path. "will pass Earth's orbit."

He fumbled the small remote in his hand before clicking it, changing the display to a 3-D strain of DNA. "A study conducted in space could fundamentally advance our knowledge about the human genome, cure countless diseases, extend human life, give kids a chance to live longer, stronger, healthier-"

"Turn it off," the deep voiced interruption killed the excitement bubbling in his chest. "Please." The courteous gesture was condescending, making an angry flush come to both men's faces. "I don't think I've explained my proposal fully-" The lights turned on quickly as the projection flickered away.

"Oh," Victor's voice, face, body language all exuded confidence, walking a thin line with arrogance. "I think you have, Reed." He stepped forward, a mocking smile playing on his lips as he came closer to the genius. "Same old Reed, always stretching, reaching for the stars with the weight of the world on his back." With the flick of his wrist, Rolex glinting brightly in the light, magazines plopped onto the table. "Dreams don't pay the bills, do they?"

Reed stared down at his own face, the bright red letters spelling out 'BANKRUPT!' staring violently back. He swallows thickly before bringing his eyes back up to that condescending smirk. "You remember in school, we talked about working together. That's what I was about to explain." He clicks the remote again, bringing the holographic picture of a space station to life.

"So it's not just my money you want, but my toys to." The complaisant millionaire smiles, a challenge hidden in his expression. "Tell me, if NASA doesn't trust you, why should I?" Reed frowns as a scoff carries from Ben's corner of the office. "That's my job. To stay ahead. To know what other men don't."

Ben steps up to Reed, his face aggravated. "Come on, I can't take this." Reed shakes his head slightly, turning to stare down at his old friend. "Ben, this is business. Just work." Ben shakes his head again turning his glare on the other man in the room. Victor smiles back, enjoying the tense atmosphere he's created.

"He's right, Ben." The clearly female voice breaks the tense air, all men turning to stare at the approaching blonde woman. "It's just business." She steps forward out of the shadows, her eyes coolly glancing over Reed before landing warmly on Ben. Victor's smile widens at the sight of her. "I believe you both know my Director of Genetic Research, Susan Storm."

Ben smiles fondly at the petite woman. "Hey Sue," dropping his voice he leans slightly towards Reed. "One _more_ thing he's got." Opening his arms, he wrapped her into a tight hug. "Ben, it's been too long, how's Debbie?"

"She's great, Sue."

"That's great."

They step away from one another, a warm smile on Sue's lips before she turns her blue eyes to Reed. Awkwardly clearing his throat, he extends his hand civilly. "How..how have you been?" Her face remained impassive, hard, as she gripped his hand tightly and gave it a quick up and down before releasing it. "Never better."

Victor watched the entire exchange, a certain glee in his eye before clearing his throat. "This isn't going to be a problem, is it?" Susan and Reed whipped around quickly, denying it simultaneously. "Not at all." Reed's voice was strong compared to Susan's demure "Oh, no." Her eyes took on a shine of hurt.

"Good, then you are just in time to hear the _great _Reed Richards beg _me_ for help." Victor smiled brightly, sidling up beside Susan comfortably. "You know, you made a lot of people at MIT feel like they belonged at a junior high science fair, so you'll excuse me if I savor this moment." He was smug, and that just made Reed's stomach churn even more.

"You back up this mission and I'll sign over a fair percentage of any applications-"

"The number is seventy-five." Victor smiled brightly again. "And it's applications and patents."

"What about his first born?" Ben's sarcasm dripped venomously in the air. Reed looked at Ben, his eyes pleading with him to let it go. "Oh Ben, twenty-five percent of a billion is enough to keep the lights on for a while, isn't it? Maybe you could pay off your fourth mortgage on the Baxter Building." Ben's glare darkened, suspicion in his old eyes as Victor raised his hand to Reed. "Deal?"

Slowly, Reed gripped his hand and shook once. Victor's predatory smile widened as he stepped back to wrap a possessive arm around Susan's shoulders. "Well then, to a new future together." Susan's smile tightened slightly, but stayed in place as she caught Reed's eyes. "Funny how things turn out, isn't it?"

"Hilarious."

* * *

Reed quickly packed all of the projection equipment back into his briefcase, his face relieved yet strained at the same time. Victor and Susan were on the opposite side of the grandiose office, speaking quietly to on another. His eyes lingered on the two before turning to face Ben. They both started off for the elevator together, keeping their eyes ahead.

"He knew about NASA, maybe he made the call to shut us down." Ben's voice was quiet, but held a warning. He shot an angry look in the general direction of Victor. "Ben, think about all the people we could help if this works," Reed replied, his voice a forced relaxed tone. "We got what we wanted and that's enough." A genuine smile quirked at his lips as they slowly approached the elevator. "Besides, a few days in space, it'll be great! What's the worst that could happen?"

Susan suddenly appeared beside them, reaching forward to press the down button for the elevator. She offered a small smile in Ben's direction before her face took on the impassive look from earlier. "Reed, you should know those clouds have been picking up speed."

"Oh, don't worry. I've factored that in already to my coordinates." Reed smiled, appreciative of the science based talk. "Right, of course you did," Susan smiled slightly as well, her's mocking. "In theory." It was a jab, and they both knew it. Reed's back straightened as he turned slightly, bristling in irritation.

"I can assure you-"

"When are we leaving?" Ben's casual interruption snapped the two out of it, bringing them both back to reality. Ben was in the elevator as well. "I'll be scheduling the launch, so you can call me in the morning for resources and crew," Susan held her card out to Reed. Another jab.

"I think I remember it." Reed jabbed back, a smug smile on his lips, but it quickly melted away at her snappy rebuttal. "It's been changed." Begrudgingly, he took the card. Ben glanced between the two as an awkward silence fell over the small space. Clearing his throat once, he gave a pointed look to Reed who in turn put on his best friendly smile while wrapping an arm around Ben's shoulders.

"As far as crew, I was hoping Ben could pilot-"

"We already have a pilot on payroll, but you're welcome to ride shotgun, Ben. You remember my brother Johnny?"

A tense silence took over the space again as both men shared a very disgruntled look.

"Sue," Ben's voice was a bit timid as he locked eyes with the woman again. "There's uh, someone else..."

* * *

"Nope, can't do it. I cannot do it!" Ben glared harshly through his pair of binoculars. The revolting and envy-inducing scene of Johnny Storm riding his motorcycle, while making out with a girl driving a car, snapping his resolve.

Reed, completely oblivious to his friend's rage, continued to stare up at the space craft they were standing on the deck of. "External SRV's, Orbital System engines; it's just like the shuttle you flew." He turned around, just now catching onto the scene just a few miles away. "No," Ben snarked back. "I can't take orders from the underwear model."

"Come on, Ben." Reed's sigh was already defeated, knowing it was a losing argument. And he was on the wrong side.

"That wing-nut got washed out of NASA for sneaking two Victoria Secret model wanna-be's into a flight simulator." Ben's look was pointed, and spoke in clear volumes how much he despised the position he was in.

Reed chuckled, a lighthearted shrug rolling off of his shoulders. "Youthful spirits?"

His counterpart just gave him a blank look. "They crashed into a wall." Reed raised an eyebrow at that. "A flight simulator." Reed sighed again, looking back down the road. Whatever he had been about to say died as a quirky smile tugged at his lips.

"Well, good thing we've got a secret weapon on our side, huh?"

Ben removed his glare from Reed, only to start laughing at the sight of the old clunker of a truck come flying down the road, kicking up dust and rocks as it closed in on the amorous couple.

* * *

Tyler Lillian Wilson was not a woman whom would be described as tactful, and when driving, her patience was highly questionable.

Dark brunette hair flew to and fro in the wind, the lazy ponytail just barely held together by an over-stretched elastic band. A scowl twisted at otherwise chapped pink lips. The aviator shades flashed as she threw her head back in exasperation at the scene currently in front of her.

"GET THE FUCK OUTTA MY WAY CASANOVA!" She swore as the idiot on the bike swerved dangerously, surprised by the sudden yell and obnoxious honking that followed. "THAT LITTLE BIKE'S ABOUT TO FILL POT HOLES IF YOU DON'T MOVE!" The biker looked up, his mouth hanging open in pure shock as the old sputtering truck started to pass him. A lazy hand appeared, offering a salute as the aggressive woman passed him. The salute dropped into the bird as she flew by, the truck throwing rocks back at the adorable couple.

With a quick shake of her head, she focused back on the road ahead, a small smirk quirking her lips just the slightest. There was a loud yell in the background, barely heard over the rumble of her engine. Looking up, she could make out Ben and Reed, both waving enthusiastically from the metal bridge. A large smile split across her face at the sight of her old friends as she tromped the pedal to the floor, leaving the pretty boy in her dust, literally.

Pulling into a gravel parking lot, the truck sputtered pathetically as she turned it off, pausing to glare at it before she hopped out. With a casual flick of her wrist, she tossed the keys at a very startled guard before reaching back in to grab the heavy duffel bags out of the bed. "Keep 'er safe, aye?" He saluted quickly, before scrambling into the old clunker. "And not a scratch, ya hear me?"

"Lily!"

The woman let out a small smile, her hazel eyes sparkling as she lifted the aviators to rest atop her head. Hefting the two duffel bags up to hang over both shoulders, she turned to face the larger man as he approached. His large smile was infectious, crinkling his eyes with years of laugh lines. Large arms encircled her, causing her to drop her heavy load with a quiet chuckle. "Ben, long time no see!"

Her arms wrapped around his torso with a quick squeeze before she pulled back to smirk at the other smiling man standing awkwardly to the side. "Reed, been a while since you called me in. Don't trust Vic's men, eh?"

Reed smiled sheepishly, rubbing his arm slightly. "No, no I'm sure they're competent, but..."

"I'm better, yeah I know." The three laughed, heading into the base. "Seriously, though. Quite a surprise to be called by you, and then to go into space, it's like all my dreams coming true in one phone call," she nudged his side lightly, enjoying the blush that rose to his cheeks. Reed cleared his throat, smiling easily at the joking tone he was well accustomed to. "W-well, I trust you with my man on the outside. You are the best."

"And don't you forget it, sweetheart."

* * *

Johnny Storm smirked brightly, twisting a small camera back and forth between his gloved hands, quickly approaching the prep room. Oh, he had been waiting for this day for quite some time. His lips stretched even further, just imagining the look on the older man's face. Oh yes, this day was long over-due in his books. Snickering quietly, he strode purposefully around the door while sucking in a deep breath. Bringing the camera up to eye level, he quickly entered the doorway.

"CAPTAIN ON THE BRIDGE!"

The old pain in his ass instantly stopped what he was doing, snapping to attention quickly. Without a second, the blinding flash illuminated the room. Ben blinked once, confusion clear on his face for a moment before a snarl quickly overtook it. The young pilot snickered again, staring at the image on the camera.

"Digital camera $254, memory stick $59, and the look on your hard ass former C.O.'s face when he finds out he's your junior officer?" He paused the mini-monologue, coming to a quick drop onto a chair in front of the slowly reddening stick in the mud. "Priceless." Flashing a satisfied smirk, he leaned back, propping both arms behind his head. Ben's murderous look was simply so good, Johnny almost took another picture. The older man's hands came up quickly, gripping the neck of his jumpsuit causing the younger man to freeze slightly.

The sound of a zipper rang in the silence, the sound of a small relieved breath just barely hanging in the air before he was smiling mockingly up at the still scowling Ben. "Thank you." Rolling his eyes, Ben turned around quickly, reaching into his designated locker. Tyler, still unnoticed in the background, shared a small smile with Reed at the exchange.

"You know, I can handle this ship. I can even handle Mr. Blond-ambition. However-" he turned around, holding up a matching suit to the one Johnny was currently wearing. "I don't know whether I should be flying or doing swan lake in these suits." There was a scoff from behind the young man, and it was distinctly female. "More like riding a unicycle on a tightrope if you ask me, but hey, I'm not the one who made 'em." Curious, Johnny craned his neck back, watching as a young woman with dark brown hair held in a loose bun came walking around towards Ben. She was dressed in tight knee-torn jeans, a plain grey t-shirt, and a leather jacket. She had thick aviator shades resting on the bridge of her nose as she sneered down at the suit in Ben's hands.

Instantly, Johnny's eyes narrowed into a glare, intensely staring at the new face.

"Hey! You're the chick-"

"Actually, Victor did," Susan suddenly came in the room, her own suit already in place. Johnny turned his glare from the girl, who hadn't even glanced his way, to Reed. Whom, might I add, was eyeing his sister a little too much for his liking. "The Synthetics act as a second skin. Adapting to your bodies individual needs."

"See that means, it keeps the hot stuff hot and the cool stuff cool," he smirked at Ben and the girl as they both threw a sideways glance in his general direction. The girl opened her mouth to say something, but was cut off as Reed came up to her and Ben, his eyes seeming to linger on Sue just a bit too long. 'And what the hell's with that smile, Sue? Come on, now.' Johnny frowned lightly, liking this situation less and less by the minute.

"Wow, fantastic!" Reed missed Sue's brightening smile, instead reaching for the suit in Ben's hands. 'Ouch. Burn, big sis.'

"A material made from unregulated, unstable molecules. I've been working on a formula like this." Reed smiled up at Sue again before turning to the girl. Sue's face fell, her eyes narrowing at Reed and the 'competition' he was now giving his attention to. "Great minds think alike I guess."

The girl just snorted, before turning to face Sue. "If that's what you wanna call these guys, sure. Don't think we've met before, name's Lily," she stuck out her hand with a small smirk. Sue glanced at it before thrusting a suit into it instead. "Susan Storm." She stepped past the girl, handing Ben his own suit kindly. Lily turned, her eyebrow raised in confusion at the obvious hostility. Sue threw the final suit at Reed before quickly leaving the room.

The three shared incredulous glances, watching as the blonde stormed out of the room. Johnny, however, was preoccupied with roving his eyes down the new piece of eye-candy. He smirked brightly, turning on the mega-watt charm as he leaned forward to get just a smidgen closer.

"So, Lily is it?" The name literally purred, and he absolutely loved the way it just rolled off the tongue. She turned, slowly, her eyebrow still raised. "Ah, Casanova. Didn't realize you were actually a part of this little team." With that, she turned and walked toward the other door. "Please tell me you pilot better then you drove that shitty little bike." And for the second time that day, Johnny gaped after that woman only this time with Ben laughing boisterously in the background.

* * *

**And, that's a wrap on Chapter 1. Please let me know how you feel about it. All reviews are welcome, well I'd prefer non-flame angry rants that are just angry rants. Now constructive criticism is a different story, I love those. They help me, a lot. :] **

**GhostDoor out baby~**


	2. Chapter 2

**Well, here it is, Chapter 2. I would love to hear some feedback. Also, a giant thank you to those who have viewed, followed, and Favorited; you are all darling little rays of sunshine :].**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything produced by Marvel, only Tyler (Lily) and anyone that connects with her.**

**Chapter 2**

* * *

**"Laughter is not a bad beginning for a friendship, and it is the best ending for one." -_Oscar Wilde_**

* * *

Lily stood in line, paying little mind to the impatient personnel waiting behind her. She eyed the two 'best' options laid out before her. Worrying her bottom lip between her teeth, she finally reached out, grasping the black ladle in her hand. A collective sigh fell from her fellow mess hall companions as she began shoveling a monstrous portion of macaroni and cheese onto her plate.

The brunette could feel the eyes on her, burning holes into the back of her head as she finished shoveling the cheesy pasta. Turning slowly, her own hazel eyes locked with the curious baby blues of the one and only Susan Storm. The blond woman suddenly looked startled at being caught, her eyes widening slightly as Lily merely stared at her with an impassive expression. Throwing a couple dollars onto the counter, she began to make her way across the large hall, her strides calm yet full of purpose. Sue didn't bolt, although a look of nervousness flooded her eyes.

Sue watched for what felt like hours as Lily finally made her way to stand in front of her. She opened her mouth to speak, but the shorter brunette stopped her with a held up hand. Shoveling a spoonful of the cheesy pasta into her mouth, Sue and the fellow crew swore a quiet moan had escaped her lips before she began chewing, slowly. Lily kept her eyes locked onto Sue's as she ate. Finally, she swallowed, her spoon held poised between the two of them.

"I ain't bangin' Reed. If you want him, that is all yours, sister." There was a momentary pause before Susan Storm's jaw literally fell open, her eyes popping open in surprise. Sticking another spoonful into her mouth, Lily just gave a little nod before turning and walking away. Sue watched as the small woman merely kicked the door open, still shoveling macaroni into her mouth before turning to offer a little wave as the door closed. She stared, her mouth still forming that little 'O' as she awkwardly offered her own wave back.

Lily continued down the hall, her eyes preoccupied on the plate of food in her hands. She was a little surprised Sue had even been worried. Reed had been nothing but a friend for many years, and that was all there would ever be between the two of them. Friendship and a shared interest of making the world a better place. Whether it was through science or not, the woman didn't really care. The fact that the man was so precociously hell-bent on only increasing the livelihood of people was enough to make her respect him and his work.

The woman looked up in surprise, mouth stuffed to the max with food, finding herself suddenly face to face with Casanova. He looked a little put off, seeing her there shoveling food into her mouth before suddenly turning on a mega-watt smirk. Mentally scoffing, she could only guess he had thought that little move would have her legs just _trembling_ in desire.

"Ah, if it isn't Lily," he rolled her name like a slight purr, stepping even closer. "Where might you be heading, and still not suited up? Did you need some help with that, I'm very practiced with zippers might I add." Was...was that supposed to flatter a girl?

Johnny felt confident, watching as the girl looked at him with this curious gaze. He would totally have her before the end of this little space adventure because lets face it, he's Johnny Storm. That's just how this works. He smirked even more, watching as a small smile began to quirk her lips. 'Oh yeah, I got this in the bag.'

Then she snorted at him, trying in vain not to choke on the macaroni still residing in her mouth. "Jethuth, wath tha' th'pos't ta be-" She swallowed before snorting again. "A pick up line? Damn Casanova, after all that action on the road I thought you'd be at least a wee bit smoother than that! Hot damn." And with that, she side-stepped the idiot before continuing down the hall, still chortling under her breath and shaking her head.

"Wha-" Johnny blinked once before turning to find she had already made it to the end of the hall. What was with this girl? He could only smirk, though, as she winked before throwing him a mock salute as she continued around the corner. Playing hard to get was always a fun game, a rare one for him, but still fun none-the-less. He shook his head before heading down the opposite direction, already seeing a tight skirt and high heels standing all alone with a clipboard. 'Looks like someone could use my company.'

Lily leaned back around the corner, her spoon still shoved into her mouth. "What an idiot." She continued to watch as Casanova turned up the charm, swaggering slightly as he approached a very blessed red-head in a tight skirt and barely buttoned dress shirt. The woman looked up as Johnny mumbled something close to her ear, her cheeks instantly aflame at the close proximity and attention. "Dear me, he moves fast."

Shaking her head one last time with a smirk, the young woman turned back around planning on continuing her short exploration of the base. However, one Victor Von Doom apparently had different plans. Her eyebrow quirked as the man locked his eyes straight on her, his own mouth upturning into an 'inviting' smile. Once he was in range, he lifted a hand in friendly greeting. She just stared at it, still holding the spoon in one hand while the plate in the other. He just didn't smell right, to her. Clearing his throat, the man let his hand fall to his side, that smile considerably less 'inviting' than before.

"Ah, Ms. Wilson. I was hoping to bump into you before we launched." Lily's raised both eyebrows then, deciding eating would probably be better then whatever word-vomit might erupt from her mouth. He motioned with one finger, expecting her to follow as he began walking away, not even glancing to check if she was following. 'Cocky, aren't we?' A quick eye roll was all the woman allowed herself before walking after him. Quickly, her strides matched his, and it made him uncomfortable, having someone he saw as unworthy, walking so calmly beside him. Not to mention, the woman was still shoveling macaroni into her mouth.

"I read your file, double-checking your qualifications of course. Needless to say, it was a very...impressive read. Bachelors at the age of 16, Masters at 19, Stark Industries internship, and then, of course, our dear Reed Richards. Now, I am curious about the previous employment, though. Stark Industries, I saw, offered you a full-time position with your own crew, and you-" Victor suddenly stopped walking, his smile stretching into 'friendly' once again. "-amazingly turned them down, for Richards." He turned towards her, his eyebrows dropped in suspicion as that amicable tone quickly left his voice. "Why?"

Keeping her eyes completely trained on his, she finished chewing before pointing the spoon down in the general direction of Reed's current where-about. "I liked him better. Stark's too much of a pain to deal with on a daily basis." Well, that wasn't entirely true, but..."Not to mention, Reed needed me more at the time. Stark has plenty of Mechanical Engineers at his beck and call. Reed on the other hand, needed someone who wouldn't be blowing shit up every other day. Don't ya think someone qualified for Stark Industries has a much better appeal?" A coy smile tugged just barely at her lips in response to the hooded look of irritation in the man's cold eyes. With a quick shrug, the small brunette started walking backwards, not in the slightest concerned for whomever might be milling around. "And to be painfully honest, Boom Doom, I'm not a huge fan of building weapons. Conflict of interest and what-not, if you catch my drift."

Victor pulled his head up as soon 'Boom Doom' dropped, his jaw setting particularly hard under the thin skin. 'What'd I say about that word vomit', thought Lily. "Consider it caught, Ms. Wilson." He turned and briskly left her all to her lonesome after that. Her hazel eyes continued to watch him, as she gnawed slightly on the spoon, until he was out of sight. "Huh, and here I thought he would at least walk you back to your door."

Lily didn't even look up, just smirked before turning to face the familiar voice. "I know right, Boom Doom's style is lacking." Ben smiled, chuckling quietly before hooking an arm around her shoulders. "I don't think he was expecting you to be such a chatterbox. That was quite a tactfully insulting speech there, Lil's." She responded with a considerably derisive laugh at that. "My chatterbox charm is an acquired taste, not my fault he just wasn't born with the proper genetic code to swallow it." They both chuckled quietly, walking amicably along as the station personnel gave them a wide berth while staring awkwardly.

They continued chatting and laughing quietly as they passed the large windows. Lily casually dropped her plate onto an unoccupied reception desk before coming to a slow stop, her eyes trained thoughtfully out one of the large windows. The spaceship stood in all its glory, currently being prepped and checked before their departure for the big ol' endless oxygen-less expanse of death above the sky. She could feel her stomach twisting uncomfortably, her mind in overdrive at the thought of being in that contained little box as they soared higher and higher. 'Fun. Super... super fun.' Her thoughts brought a bemused smirk to her lips.

"So, you ready for space, chatterbox?"

"Space? Yeah, sounds like a fun place. The spaceship? Not so much." Ben gave the surrounding area a quick glance before squeezing the small woman to his side just a little tighter. "You gonna be okay? I mean, I know the small space and all is already bad, but what about your ears?"

Lily sighed, she had completely forgotten about that. Add that to her already growing list of worries, and she was all set for the most _fun_ adventure of her lifetime. Instead of worrying her old friend, she just laughed and pulled out of his one-armed embrace to continue walking. "Ah, don't worry so much, Ben. I'll be good, no matter what. It's my _charm_." She gave a small 'jazz' hand on the word, smiling easily even as her tummy went vaulting and flipping for the gold. " 'Sides, something as insignificant as my ears popping ain't nothing I can't handle."

Ben studied her for a few minutes, his eyes narrowed slightly. "What about going deaf, that's kind of a noticeable thing, not matter how _charming_-" Ben mocked the 'jazz' hand with a roll of his eyes. "-you may be." She just shrugged, still smiling easy. "Guess I'll just have to take a good long nap on the way up, eh Benny-boy?"

His eyes narrowed a bit more before he relaxed, finally smiling back. "Always got an answer for everythin', don'cha?" She just smirked, shrugging slightly.

"It's a gift, truly."

Ben snorted, coming up to walk beside her again.

"More like an annoying trait, but sure, gift's a good word to."

* * *

Lily and Reed looked up at the giant shuttle, both eyeing the contraption wearily with the slightest spark of anticipation in their eyes. The other four members of their little crew were already boarding, barely concerned by the pause of the straggling two. Sharing a shaky and unconvincing smile, the two started forward. This was their experiment after all.

Presently, Lily couldn't help but feel extremely positive that this was a very, very huge mistake. Johnny and Ben were sitting comfortably, playing with switches and watching the gauges as the giant flying death trap rumbled and gargled around them all. She scowled at how calm the two were, 'I could just smack them both.' Susan and Reed we're seated behind her, awkwardly avoiding the others' gaze as we stared up at the ceiling in an extremely disorienting and uncomfortable position. Von Doom was directly behind Susan, his eyes trained on her and Reed, a malicious smirk stretched across his thin lips. Meanwhile, Lily sat ram-rod straight, right behind Casanova.

"God damn." Lily cursed, wishing she had someone to talk to. 'Oh fuck it, Reed and Ben are already 78% sure I'm insane'. "This thing really rattles, don't it. Not very reassuring to my well-being. Then again, if we were meant to be in space, then we wouldn't have to build something to get us there, eh? Right you are, dear. Right you are, natural selection and all that."

"Jesus, that 'gift' of yours is really showing itself. You okay back there, Lils?" Instantly she perked up, happy some one was here help her through this borderline mental breakdown.

"Oh, just peachy, Ben. Swell even, as I wait for my imminent death in this contraption. I didn't know you could hear me, why didn't you say so earlier? Then I wouldn't be back here talking to myself like a crazy person. That's dirty, mate."

Ben just let out a throaty chuckle, but was cut off by a smooth purr of a voice.

"You can always talk to me, I always have an open ear for the ladies."

"Once again, Casanova, is that supposed to be a pick up line? I mean, do other girls actually fall for it or am I just wired wrong? Actually," she paused, looking up as the ship lined up perfectly with the open sky above. "That could be a very plausible explanation. Sorry Casanova, looks like my brain's hardwired against ya."

He let out a throaty laugh, it rumbled across the helmets' speakers. "Keep telling yourself that, Lily." She could only think about how weird her name sounded coming out of his mouth.

"I plan on it, actually. Wouldn't want you getting rusty and throwing out even shoddier lines, keep you on your toes, eh Casanova?"

**"T-minus 5 minutes."**

And with that, all conversation ended as Johnny and Ben entered pilot and co-pilot modes. They went through the entire spiel, flipping switches and knobs, shouting out readings to the control center. Lily turned her focus to the gauges and controls feeling them moving erratically as the ship balanced itself out internally. 'Oh Jesus, this is doing nothing good for my belly's well-being, I swear the macaroni are doing a conga-line in there.'

**"10...9...8...7...6...5...****4...****"**

"This is always my favorite part." Johnny's voice blocked out the final countdown, rumbling calmly through the speakers.

**"Blastoff!"**

And then, the death trap lurched, letting out a mighty groan as the rockets ignited completely and lifted off. It felt like they were moving in slow motion, just barely suspended in the air as the ship took it's good old time before steadily increasing in speed. Lily closed her eyes, focusing intently on the gauges' readings in her mind's eye. The speed gauge slowly increased at first, 23...27...30. Within a blink of an eye, the dial quit wavering as it confidently continued to rise. '65...85...120...'

Ben breathed a sigh of relief as the shuttle burst through the atmosphere, the worst part over and done with. He and Johnny shared a brief smile, both relieved as the ship transitioned for the final leg of the trip. It was easy sailing from here. Sighing again, Ben felt his ears pop one final time. He glanced back, eyes shining with concern at the concentrated face of the young brunette seated behind Johnny. Her eyes were squeezed shut, bottom lip held strongly between her teeth.

He wanted to ask if she was 'okay', but the small trails of blood leaking down over her ear lobes and into the collar of her suit stopped him. A frown pulled at his lips, wanting nothing more then to comfort her until her hearing came back. However, there was nothing he could do without drawing unwanted attention to the quietly suffering woman. Instead he turned back to focus on the highly uncomfortable Reed, who was still avidly avoiding Sue's gaze. His eyes were kept solidly on the expanse of space through the window.

Smirking, Ben gave a sarcastic thumbs-up before turning back around, intent on getting at least some shut-eye before arriving.

* * *

"ETA until the cosmic event: 9 hours."

Lily stood restlessly in the back as Victor's voice rang like a stocatto drum through her head. Ben clapped her on the shoulder once, giving a small smile. He could see the blood trails up close now. They weren't trails anymore, both sides of her neck were covered in a thick layer of dried blood. His eyes flew up, making sure no one's focus was on her before pointing at his own neck casually. She just stared at him, her eyes tired and honestly, her head hurt too much to care about the blood stuck against her skin. Huffing, Ben threw an arm around her shoulders, blocking the blood from easy view.

"If you're good, maybe next time Daddy will let you drive." Johnny was suddenly next to them, smirking easily at Ben. "You keep talking and there won't be a next time," Ben was glaring at him, but if one looked close enough, they could see the small glint of laughter in his eyes. Casanova might annoy the bejeesus out of him, but he still had a small bit of camaraderie with the guy. Lily laughed quietly, still trying to gain her 'space legs' . Johnny began to walk backwards in front of the other two. His blue eyes were alight with mirth, falling on his new 'favorite' crew member.

"And you can sit on Daddy's lap."

...

"Now that's just gross. Incestuously gross." His smirk just widened as his eyes laughed. "Really, I need to meet the girls that fall for those, I think they might need brain scans, Casanova." They continued down the bridge, until pausing at one of the many windows facing Earth. "Heh, I guess it really is an amazing view," shrugging out of Ben's arm, the small woman pushed her face against the window, like a fascinated child at the zoo.

"You know, it's a much better view without a window blocking it out." Johnny's voice was quiet, his baby blues focused on the glowing blue Earth far beneath them. He stared out along side them longingly, his eyes bright with a light only someone confident and in their element could exude. Lily just smiled easily, absorbing the grand view from their little spot. Hidden away, up in the floating expanse where no one could see her.

"Jesus, Lily what happened to your neck?!" Ben and Lily instantly cringed, glaring venomously at the blue-eyed man. Johnny didn't seem to notice, instead focusing on the woman's neck in a weirdly fascinated way. Jesus, though, where did all that blood come from? He started moving then, intent on finding a first aid kit or something.

"Shut up, moron. This ain't any of your business," Ben snapped quietly, dragging the boy back towards them. "And you aren't gonna breathe a word about this to Vic, you hear me?" Johnny stared at the two incredulously.

"Ben, calm down," Lily offered him an easy smile, her tired eyes locking onto his. "Casanova, this is kinda on the tippy top of top secrets, can you promise to keep it if I tell you?" Ben frowned, eyes threatening bodily harm if Johnny didn't comply. Rolling his eyes at the man, Johnny smirked down at the girl. "Sure thing, doll."

Lily narrowed her eyes at him, her smile still easy, but he could see it, the distrust clouding over her eyes like a storm. "I'm serious Casanova, this is very sensitive info." Johnny raised his hands in surrender, his smirk dropping so he at least looked a little serious. "You got my word, doll. These totally kissable lips are sealed."

She just frowned at him, obviously unamused by his joke. "I'm being serious, Casanova."

"Hey, I am too. Tell me these lips don't look completely devour-able," Johnny smirked before puffing said lips to make kissy faces. Lily just frowned, rolling her eyes at the young man.

"Lily!" Reed's voice came trailing down the hallway, followed by the genius running down the corridor with a small white first aid box in his hand. The three waited quietly until he caught up to them, each sharing a confused glance. "What's up, doc? Need me to fix Vic's ship already?" Lily's joke was left hanging as Reed instantly grabbed her face, turning it to both sides as he inspected her ears. Reed's frown deepened at the amount of blood collected on both sides of her neck. "Why didn't you get me as soon as we landed? I nearly forgot I had to check your ears with all the excitement."

Johnny frowned, not exactly comfortable with Reed handling her so easily while she was covered in blood. It didn't sit well with him, this girl covered in blood. She had such an easy air to her. The air of a person who shouldn't even be near blood-shed, not to mention covered in it herself. He couldn't put his finger on it, but it truly bothered him. Also, the fact that the guy who's supposed to be still caught up on his sister was man-handling his eye candy. That was a little disconcerting.

Suddenly, Reed pulled out an otoscope, looking in each ear before nodding once. "How is your hearing? Any difficulty?" He absentmindedly pulled out some alcohol wipes from the case, but the girl had already licked one hand generously before running it over one side of her neck. The three men all made a slightly disgusted face at that, but she was unfazed by it all, already starting to walk away.

"Wait a minute, are you telling me all that blood was just from her ears popping?!" Reed and Ben both shushed him, starting to trail after the still casual girl. "Yes, her ears are extremely sensitive to altitude changes, especially in aerial crafts. We were concerned how leaving the atmosphere might effect her, but..." Reed just waved a lackadaisical hand in her direction. "Obviously, she's just fine."

"Groady. So groady, dried blood is the most itchy substance ever." Lily glared at her pink tinted hand, dragging it across her pant leg. It just smeared the blood stain onto her gray suit. She shrugged again, instead starting her 'clean up' on the opposite side of her neck.

"Wait, wait, wait. Hold up here. Blood like that does not come from someone's ears just popping." He glared at the two, reaching forward to stop Lily. Snatching the alcohol wipes from Reed, he shoved them into her hand with a pointed look. "That's gross, stop it." He tried to keep a serious face while pointing at her accusingly, but she just laughed, another easy smile on her face. "Can someone just tell me what's going on around here?"

Reed shared an uncomfortable look with Ben, who just raised his eyebrows and shrugged in response. "Well, like I said she has sensitive ears to altitude and-"

"I'm a mutant." Reed and Ben both smacked their faces, while Lily smiled nonchalantly. "Gonna hoard up the mob and pitchforks now or wait until we're back on good ol' Earth?" Johnny frowned deeply at that, along with Ben and Reed. She just laughed, though. "Oh come on Reed, Ben. It's not like he wouldn't find out anyways." Reed let out a sigh at that before turning back to Johnny with a pleading look in his eyes.

"Listen, Johnny-"

"Who cares if you're a mutant, you're still smoking, Doll." Lily deadpanned at that while Johnny continued to smirk, his eyes alight with amusement. "I mean seriously, why's this a big deal? Mutants are kind of everywhere. Ben, you remember that guy from NASA? Joe? Yeah, I'm pretty sure that guy could like turn invisible or something."

"No, you just forgot he existed whenever a certain someone with legs, ass, and tight skirts walked in. Jessica I think her name was."

"Oh yeah...I remember her." Johnny looked up in thought, his thumb and finger rubbing along his chin. "She was crazy." He pointed at Ben, but a complete shit-eating grin had spread across his lips at the mention of that old fling.

"Johnny." Reed looked ready smash his head into a wall. This is not how this was supposed to go. "Listen, this is highly _sensitive_-" Reed shot Lily a pointed look, which she just gave a small shrug back to. "-information. We thought it be best if Victor didn't know, considering-"

"Didn't know what?" The small group froze, turning ever so slowly to find Susan Storm looking at them all with narrowed eyes. Her hand was propped on her hip with her head tilted just the slightest. In other words, she was in 'This bitch wants information now' mode. And she executed it beautifully.

"Sue!" Reed gulped slightly, looking between the others as if they would know what to say. "Well, you see today's...Be-Lily's...Birthday?" Ben and Lily just groaned. Rolling her eyes, Lily walked up to the woman just as slowly and confidently as in the mess hall. Johnny's eyes instantly focused on the calm to-and-fro motion her hips created.

Rolling her shoulders slightly, Lily lifted her chin to stare Sue right in the eye. "Susan, I'm a mutant. Also, my birthday's next Wednesday, and I like chocolate cake. With butter cream icing. Anything will do really." The woman shrugged again as Reed made just the slightest whine/something-please-swallow-me-whole noise in the background. "Oh, please don't tell Boom Doom...about the mutant thing. Actually, don't tell him about my birthday either. I'd rather he not be involved in the festivities."

Susan kept her eyes narrowed, scrutinizing each of their faces as Lily smiled casually and rocked back on her heels. Her eyebrow raised just slightly as a small itty-bitty smile lifted at the corner of her mouth. "Boom Doom?"

"Like it? He doesn't, so of course I love it." That itty-bitty smile morphed into a full grin as the two woman chuckled together. "So, a mutant, huh?"

"That's what the DNA tests say, oh and the whole technopathy thing." Lily just shrugged before starting down the corridor, Sue tagging along with that fascinated glint in her eyes. "You're into the whole Genetic Research thing right?" Sue nodded once, an excited smile on her face. "Then you'll get a kick out of this. On top of the technopathy, I've got a rockin' healing factor, regenerative power, and highly elevated reflexes and instincts. It's pretty snazzy."

"You have got to let me get a look at your blood when we get back to Earth. There's so much we could learn from your genome, not to mention combining that with the storm's findings! Can you imagine the results we could get from such work?"

"Umm...no, not really. Not my forte, I'm just the metal head. I'm sure Reed would love to discuss it more with you, though." At the mention of the bean pole scientist, Sue sobered slightly before nodding as well. "You're right, and he could claim that research for his own. Victor won't know a thing about it until it's published." Lily and Sue both shared a conspiratorial smile. "I think we're going to be good friends, Sue. Truly great friends."

Laughing, the two women entered the center of the space station. Sue instantly rushed off, honing in on a computer just off to the side while Lily just marveled at the sight of the shielded dome. Keeping a calm gait, she continued until she reached the over-looking rails before setting her duffel bags down and leaning forward against the railing.

"Ah Susan, there you are. I see you were getting better acquainted with Ms. Wilson." Victor had a nice smile, one that could fool you into thinking he actually wanted Susan to have friends. Yet, those eyes of his, so cold and calculating, spoke much higher volumes. "Yes, she's definitely an interesting find, can't believe Reed snatched her up before we found her." Sue laughed lightly, throwing a secretive wink to the smaller woman.

"Hm, yes. Interesting find indeed." Victor stared at Lily. She stared right back. It was a pretty easy message, 'I don't like you, you don't like me. Stay out of my way'. She just smiled easily, rejoining Ben and Reed as they entered the center. Ben and Reed took in the view of the shield protected area, nervous and awed, respectively.

"Is it safe?," Ben asked, leaning against the rail, hoping to hear a satisfying answer from the man next to him. "According to my calculations, the shields should protect us from the full blast of the cloud." Reed just stared, an excited smile on his face as he remained oblivious to the worried looks Ben and Lily were shooting him.

Raising an eyebrow, Ben just sighed slightly in exasperation. "Should?"

"Yes, very reassuring, Reed. Science, never a reassuring subject until tested and proven. This is exactly why I'm a mechanic." Lily shot Reed an amused glance as he ducked his head sheepishly at the both of them. Casanova walked over then, shooting the small brunette a wink before starting down the hall.

"What's the matter, Ben? Getting paranoid in your old age?" Victor walked across the lower platform to stand directly beneath the three. His taunting eyes roved over Ben before flickering to his counterpart. "And Lily, why are you just standing there? Aren't there machines to fix?"

Johnny had stopped at the sound of Victor's voice, coming back into the hallway opening to watch the little spat. He swore he heard just the slightest sound of a growl. Literally, a growl as Lily stood up even straighter. "Let's start loading those samples. Get your suits ready, guys," Reed quickly interrupted whatever might have become from that remark. Or at least, he had hoped. Lily and Ben shared a look of pure disdain for the man below, but nodded at Reed in acceptance before starting to turn.

"So, I see you're still doing the heavy lifting Ben. Maybe-" Victor turned his upturned nose to Reed, his voice just dripping in condescension. "You should have stayed in the lab. Fieldwork never did suit you."

Both Ben and Lily stopped, quickly turning on their heel simultaneously at that jab. Ben stocked forward, his hands clenched in barely suppressed irritation. "He does the talking, I do the walking. Got a problem with that?" Victor just smiled, barely ruffled from the anger he had caused. "So take a walk, then." Then the bastard turned, his back facing them as if they were nothing but dirt beneath his feet.

Reed gave them both the most pleading look, begging them to just turn and walk away. Ben grumbled under his breath for a moment before turning. Lily, however, continued back to the railing beside Reed, an easy smile on her face.

Her eyes, though, were anything but easy.

Her hazel eyes were cold as she regarded Victor Von Doom with a smirk. "Ya know _Vic_, I wouldn't rile up the woman in charge of keeping this hunk of junk hovering above Earth. Especially one with so much experience." Victor glared back, eyes narrowing at the barely veiled threat.

"But that would endanger people who actually matter to the world, so no worries. I'm a fixer not a breaker." Johnny snorted, quickly covering it up with a cough at the sharp look from his older sister. Focusing back on Lily, he watched as her smirk widened into a sneer before she gave the most mocking salute he had ever seen. She gave a small smile to Reed before walking back towards Ben, her hips swaying just a bit extra to finish off the taunt.

"You know Reed, I'm starting to highly regret letting you bring your little play thing along." Victor's voice echoed down the hall. Ben and Lily shared a look, both chortling loudly at how miffed the "drama king" sounded. Johnny watched as they walked by, his eyes narrowing in Boom Doom's general direction before trailing after them.

"Lily is much more then a '_play thing_', Victor. She's the best Mechanical Engineer in the country, if not the world. I would suggest not getting on her bad side." Reed's voice was actually strong, not the usual meek tone as it carried down the corridor. The three shared a surprised look before a proud smile crossed both Ben and Lily's faces. Johnny just shook his head before clasping the shorter woman on the shoulder, his hand falling to lay against the small of her back.

"You are one spunky lady, you know that?"

Lily just laughed, playfully smacking his arm away. "Well someone around her needs to put that ass in his place. Obviously, neither of you have the kahunas to do the job."

* * *

**And that's a wrap for this chapter. Please review or whatever fuels your fancy. I would just really love some feedback, criticism or otherwise.**

**Until next time, GhostDoor out baby~**


	3. Chapter 3

**Here we go, Chapter 3! Now, this chapter is a bit short, but necessary. **

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own or have any rights to Fantastic Four or any Marvel productions. I only own Tyler (Lily) any other OC's and the many twists and turns these characters create.**

**Enjoy~**

* * *

**Chapter 3**

* * *

**"Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself." **  
**― Leo Tolstoy**

* * *

Johnny watched from the sidelines as Lily helped Ben suit up before turning to pull on her own. Oh, the view surely was nice, for him, as she bent down to pull her feet into the legs of the space suit. "Cool it, hot-head," Ben growled, smacking the younger man up the back of his head. Johnny feigned a hurt expression before smirking. "Ouch, big guy. Careful with the merch, huh?" Lily rolled her eyes, zipping her suit up as she watched Johnny walk over to finish Ben's suit-prep. Locking Ben's oxygen tube in place, he walked around to face the man, giving the suit a double-check. "Please tell me your guy isn't trying to rekindle things with my sister."

Ben and Lily scoffed at that, surprising him. "Of course not, it's just business."

"Yeah, Reed's too oblivious to realize that's even a possibility," Lily threw her two cents in as she rejoined them. Johnny scoffed right back, lifting Ben's computerized forearm to double-check the programs. "His eyes say differently, don't they?" Ben grabbed his arm, making the younger man look up at him. "Hey, two hearts got busted last time." His eyes softened lightly, but he kept his jaw firm. "Maybe she's not over it either."

"Wow, Dr. Phil. That's deep-" Johnny rolled his eyes before turning around, focusing on Lily's suit. "Let's explore that for a minute." He pulled her arm up, checking the programs on her suit as well. "You've got Victor-more money than God, stud of the year." Letting her arm fall from his hands, he winked before turning her around to check the oxygen tube. She just rolled her eyes in mock exasperation. "Then you have Reed- world's dumbest smart guy, worth less than a postage stamp." Johnny smirked to himself, purposefully brushing a hand along her derriere, getting a firm smack to the hand as she turned back around with a hard glare. "Real toss-up there."

A sly smile worked it's way onto Lily's face as she stepped back to join Ben. "Yes, let's explore this. You do have Boom Doom- controlling, manipulative, egotistical Ass-hat." She lifted both hands into a scale motion. "Then you have Reed- puppy-dog eyed, loyal, kind, and oh yeah, he actually loves Sue. You're right, that really is a tough toss-up."

Ben smirked as well, clapping her on the shoulder. "Don't trouble your tiny mind."

Johnny grumbled at that, she had a point there, but Ben was just being a dick. With an exaggerated sigh, he plastered a quick smirk on his face before patting them both on the shoulder. "Yeah, yeah, now don't wonder off boy, you either Doll." They both just rolled their eyes, sharing amused smiles as he sealed them into the air-lock chamber. Lily smiled easily, while Ben took a deep relaxing breath.

They both fastened their bubble-helmets before Ben gave a small resolute nod. Saluting them mockingly, Johnny opened the doors leading to space. Ben gave two thumbs up while Lily threw a playful wink his way, then they turned, both marveling at the amazing view ahead. "Told ya, the window just blocks out how awesome it really is."

"You got that right, Casanova." Lily laughed, it sounded slightly giddy as she suddenly leaped from the platform. Ben just chuckled as Johnny's mouth fell open in actual awe as, even in the non-gravity space, her body glided weightless to the experiment platform. Then, he snorted in amusement as Ben was dragged by their connecting rope, halfway across the space. "Look at that, she did half the work for you, Big guy."

Ben just grumbled, ignoring him as he continued to the platform.

* * *

It was breath taking. She could see for, well whatever they measure distance out here with, but it looked like eons. Yeah, she could see for eons; all the stars, the Earth, colors of every range surrounding her. It was absolutely the best experience she'd ever had. The smile on her face was stretching her cheeks to the limit, but she couldn't be bothered by that. Not with something so amazing distracting her.

Laughing lightly, she turned back to where the control panel for the experiment stood. It was just a small 3 foot pillar of titanium-alloy. At first, Lily had told Reed there wasn't much she could do if it was just metal, the center of her powers based off of the electrical side of machinery. However, she could feel it, see it; the multitudes of wires and electrical harnesses just inside this small little structure. Laying her hands against it, she let her mind wonder along the map out of machinery, checking each expanse of wiring was exactly how it should be.

She kept her concentration on it, eyes shut as energy flow evenly and mapping out the electrical wiring in the recesses of her mind. Ben hummed quietly, setting each experimental case on the ground before starting to unlatch the first one.

"So, Lily," Casanova's voice purred in her ear, causing the brunette to shake her head as Ben rolled his eyes. "I was thinking, once we're Earth-bound, we should go out for a celebratory dinner. You know, job well done and all that."

Lily snorted, pulling the small electrical-welder from its loop on her belt. "Sorry Casanova, already got plans made when I get home." An electrical buzz emitted from the small torch, crackling slightly as it was set against the first experiment case. "Isn't that right, Ben?" Ben cracked a smile, holding the case steady as the torch welded it into place. "That's right, so back it off, Hot-head."

"Don't you have a fiance or something? Maybe you should 'back it off' ." Johnny mimicked Ben's voice, making it an exaggerated bass.

"Oh shut it, I can take my god-daughter out whenever I feel like it."

They could hear a small cough over the microphone, causing the two to smirk conspiratorially at one another. "God-daughter? How does that work out?"

The woman just sighed, sharing a very exasperated look with her space adventure partner. Looks like working in silence was not Casanova's forte. "Come on Casanova, you know how it works by now. A lady and fella fall in love, dance in the sheets, bing bang boom nine months later a baby pops out. Then, in an act of complete desperation, the parents worry about dying too early and assign an extremely _lucky_ individual the honor of having complete rights over their spawn in the case of premature death. Or what-have-you."

There was a moment of silence, which was quite the astonishment it seemed, going by the look of relief on Ben's face. Shrugging, the two went back to the work.

"That was a really descriptive answer, sweet-cheeks."

"Jesus Kid, do you ever shut up?!" Lily couldn't help but laugh at Ben's exasperated face, his eyebrows knitted in irritation. Looking back down, she moved onto the next glass box, getting back into work-mode as the two continued to hash it out over the speakers. It was relaxing, almost, hearing such common bickering while floating in this endless space. It reminded her greatly of home.

* * *

Finishing the third box, Lily and Ben straightened back up when Johnny's voice suddenly cut off. There was a red flag going off in the back of her mind, one that she had been too distracted to notice before now. Wracking her brain, she followed the tunnel of electrical outlets in her mind's eye, finally ending in the station's main area. The globe Boom Doom and Susan were currently residing in.

The shields were shutting.

"BEN, LILY, YOU NEED TO COME BACK INSIDE NOW!" Reed's panicked voice echoed loudly within the helmets, making both turn to face the station. "We ain't done arranging your flowers yet egghead."

"Ben," Lily mumbled his name, feeling the hair on the back of her neck suddenly lift in alarm.

"Ben, Lily, turn around!"Reed's yell reverberated throughout their skulls, making them both stiffen at the sheer urgency in his voice. She watched as Ben began to turn, his eyes widening as the glass of his helmet reflected the orange and red clouds. "Guys, we're not gon-"

He was cut off as Lily suddenly leaped, tackling him into open space back toward the station. His mouth fell open in shock, watching as the cloud closed in. Lily kept her eyes ahead, a determined crease in her brow as she focused on the air chamber. Reed's and Johnny's faces stared back, their eyes scared as the two floated across the expanse.

"Come on guys, you got this!," Johnny's yell of encouragement was just background noise, barely audible above their rapidly beating hearts.

Ben swallowed thickly. The cloud was approaching quickly, very quickly. Without a second thought, he jerked out of Lily's grasp, literally kicking her forward. "Ben, NO!" She twisted, her eyes pleading and flooding with tears as she floated farther away from him. A small feeling of relief washed over him as she closed the final gap before landing steadily on the platform.

Lily turned, facing Reed momentarily as he looked back in despair. Those large brown puppy-dog eyes locked onto hers before focusing past her, widening to the extreme in panic. She didn't turn to look, her kick-started instincts already telling her the storm was there, just a few feet away. Her body collided with the glass chamber, hard, as Ben's body was propelled into it. Her helmet crashed into the door, her head jerking along with it painfully.

Reed and Johnny shared a look, an uncertain look of their future and what they could even do from this point on. Johnny turned away quickly, jamming the button for the chamber. Reed kept his eyes on the locked chamber doors, watching in grim silence as the orange and red began to burst through. He had made a terrible mistake.

Lily stared over the unconscious body on top of hers, watching as the cloud seeped through the air-tight doors. Her chin set hard, accepting the card fate had tossed into her deck. 'We didn't make it in time.'

Orange and red blasted past them, caressing their bodies in blind disorienting pain. What little air was left in her lungs whooshed out, leaving her gasping in vain. The cloud continued to strike, like waves of the ocean mixed with lava. Freezing cold, blinding hot, back and forth like a never-ending tide. Everything they knew at that moment was agonizing, deep-seeded pain, and one recurring thought.

'Will I die today?'

* * *

The emergency personnel rushed the six gurneys through the hospital, each laden down with an unconscious body. Respirators and I.V.'s swayed and jerked with each turn. A doctor for each patient checked their vitals hurriedly, snapping out orders to the nursing staff. The last gurney through, heavy from the weight of a young woman, swayed precariously when the nurse bumped it into a wall around a particularly sharp turn.

"Johnson, watch it! We don't know the extent of their injuries yet." The young man flushed in embarrassment, ducking his head from his superior's enraged eyes. "Sorry ma'am." He kept his blue eyes locked on the unconscious girl instead, leaving the front nurse to lead the gurney as he pushed.

Groggy and dim hazel eyes stared back, blinking slowly. "Doctor!" Johnson ducked back, letting the doctor hover over the awakening girl. She quickly pulled out a small flashlight, shining them in both eyes. The pupils dilated slowly before the girl squinted her eyes shut. "Give her a sedative, we don't want her waking up until we've fully examined them all." A female nurse opposite her nodded curtly, quickly sticking the needle into a very pale arm.

They watched, the doctor with her stethoscope planted firmly against the patient's chest, as her eyes slowly fell shut again, head lolling to the side. A minute passed before the doctor looked up, nodding once. The gurney picked up speed as they raced down the halls towards large doors, a bright orange sign plastered to the wall above.

**QUARANTINE**

* * *

**And that's a wrap to Chapter 3. Sorry it was short, I just wanted it to only hold their last little bit of time in space, but not the actual wake-up in the hospital. I hope it wasn't too disappointing for any of you, think of it as a time filler chapter, the transition per say. Anyways, Thank you to everyone who has followed and reviewed :]**

**Shout out to Reader 1589 for being the first review! And my personal little ray of sunshine for the day :]**

**As always, please review. Feedback is _always_ welcome.**

**Until next time, GhostDoor out baby~**


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